Written by: Dallas Walsh

"I don't think I heard you correctly," Cole Rockwell says as he feels the blood leave his face as Celeste Rockwell, who just emerged from the on-suite washroom in the master bedroom of the Rockwell mansion, still looking pale herself. He recalls how he came into her bedroom to see how she was feeling when the timer on her phone went off and when she emerged, she revealed that she is pregnant. Cole has a million things going on in his head, including the fact that he slept with his step mother a few weeks earlier during a wicked summer storm. Could it be possible that he got her pregnant? And, if it's true, what about his father, Celeste's husband, Mac Rockwell? "You're pregnant?" If he is the father, Cole realizes that this could ruin his family forever.

"I can't believe," Celeste replies to him quickly, not wanting to make eye contact with him. She is just as scared and nervous as he is with the thought that he could be the father of the baby that she is carrying and not her husband. "This is why I have been feeling so faint the last couple of days; it's a sign of morning sickness. It all makes sense now," she says as her hand finds her stomach. "I have a life inside of me."

"I…I don't know what to say," Cole admits to her as their eyes finally lock. There is a moment of silence between them as they both know what this could mean.

"What are you talking about?" she snaps at him, realizing that Mac has to be the father of her child. "There is nothing to talk about. I just got married, I am a newlywed and now I'm pregnant. It seems to make sense to me."

"You can't be serious right now," he moves closer to her. He can tell that Celeste is having the same thoughts as he is about the night of the storm. "You and I both know what happened the night of the storm."

"Of course I know what happened," she replies to him as she looks into his eyes. "But that happened once. Do you know how many times I've been with your father? There's no way that you fathered this baby, so you need to get that idea out of your head right now. For your sake and for the sake of your father! Anything else, Cole, my God, it would ruin this family!"

Cole looks at her in shock as he can't believe that she isn't taking this more seriously. "I need to know," he admits to her. "I can't pretend that our night together never happened."

"You're going to have to," Celeste tells him sternly. "Because, I won't ruin my marriage over one stupid night. I refuse to send this family into turmoil."

"It was the best night of my life."

She rolls his eyes. "Do you love Mac at all?" she asks him as he nods back to her.

"Of course I do."

"Then let this go," she advises him. "Mac and I are having a baby. You need to congratulate Mac. End of discussion."

***

"Did you hear me Mac? Get out of this office before I call security and have you physically removed!" Lydia Rockwell yells at her ex-husband, as she has just revealed that she has been able to take over Rockwell Mining because she convinced her children, Cole, Stacey Rockwell and Lex Rockwell to sign their proxy of shares over to her. She, herself, was left with 6% of the company shares in the divorce to Mac Rockwell, so she now has enough shares to be running the company. She looks at her Mac, who is in complete shock, and relishes the moment. She has wanted to stick it to him for so many years and now she finally is getting too. She is, finally, getting everything she wants. Of course, she will not reveal that she drugged Lex into giving her his shares.

"This doesn't make any sense, none at all," Mac replies to her as he folds his arms across his chest, not believing a word Lydia is saying. After everything Lydia has pulled, he knows she must be lying to him. His children, especially Lexington, would never betray him this way.

"I agree with Dad," Lex Rockwell announces to his mother. "How did you get all of us to sign over our proxy? I certainly did not."

Lydia grins back to them both. "Cole and Stacey were easy to convince," she purses her lips together. "Lex, I knew you'd be more of a challenge but you came around."

"No, I didn't!" he yells at his mother. "I never signed over my proxy!"

"Are you saying this isn't your signature?" Lydia asks him as she holds up the proxy, with his signature.

Mac grabs the paper out of her hands and looks at it closely. He has worked with Lex long enough to know his son's handwriting, and it definitely looks like Lex's signature, which adds to the confusion of the situation.

"I can't explain this," Lex tells Mac. "But I did not do this. I would never want my father out of his company. He has taught me everything I know. I can't believe you're doing this!," he glares at his mother. "But, you won't get away with it! I will find out how you got that signature."

Lydia chuckles a little. "Darling, you will forgive me when you realize how great I can make this company. I will take Rockwell Mining into new heights. You'll see. Now, back to the what I was saying, Mac, you need to exit this building. This is my office now."

Mac shakes his head in disgust as he starts to move out from behind his office. "You won't get away with this, Lydia. I won't let you ruin everything I worked my entire life for," he spits at her. Suddenly, his cell phone rings. He looks at Lydia as he grabs it from his desk and answers it. "Mac Rockwell," he says into his phone. "My God, are you sure? Yes, yes, I'll be right there."

He hangs up the phone and looks down, worry written all over his face. "What is it? What's happened?" Lex asks him, coming up behind his father, realizing that something is wrong.

"It's Stacey," he whispers in horror. "She's been in a car accident."

"What? My God, we must get to the hospital!" Lydia quickly replies to them, as everyone rushes out of the office, the family actually united on this front.

***

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" a panicked Lydia asks as she, Mac, Lex and Jarek Williams arrive at the nurses station at the hospital, all worried about Stacey being in a car accident. They have no idea how serious the accident was, but they are desperate to find out some news about Stacey.

"We are looking for Stacey Rockwell," Mac continues to explain, since Lydia didn't provide specifics. "We were informed that she was in an automobile accident. Please, we have to know how she is."

"The doctors are still with her," the nurse tells them. "If you don't mind waiting, I'll let the doctor know that you are here and would like an update."

"I want to see my baby!" Lydia cries to her, as Mac pulls her away from the nurses station.

"We have to let the doctors do their job," Mac tells her. "I know you're scared, I am too, but we have to let the professionals do their job. Okay?"

Lydia turns to Mac and pulls him into a hug. "I can't lose my baby," she cries into his shoulder. "I can't lose my baby girl."

Before Mac can reply, a doctor emerges from the ER. "Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell," Dr. Chen greets them. "I'm glad you're here."

"How is Stacey?" Mac asks him back quickly.

"Not good, I'm afraid," Dr. Chen informs them. A semi-truck hit their car head on. The trauma to Stacey was pretty severe. She has swelling on her brain; we have to do a surgery to release some of the fluid that is building and causing the swelling."

"Brain surgery?" Lydia gasps in shock. "That sounds serious."

"It is," Dr. Chen replies to them. "The good news is that we've done this procedure many times. The bad news is that there is no guarantee the fluid won't continue to build post the operation."

"What are you saying? What does that mean?" Mac asks him, trying to take all this information in and process it. Everything is seemingly happening so quickly.

"If we operate and drain the fluid," Dr. Chen begins to explain to the family. "And, the fluid doesn't collect again, Stacey has a great chance at a full recovery. However, if we operate the fluid does build again, Stacey may never wake up. The operation itself, while we have completed it many times, it also very risky."

"Oh my God," Lydia cries out as she covers her mouth in shock. "Please, make sure my baby lives. Do whatever you can to bring her back to us."

Dr. Chen nods back to her. "She is very lucky, luckier than the man she was with."

"Whom was she driving with?" Lex asks, as he can see both of his parents are too upset to speak back to the doctor.

"Houston Blackmore," Dr. Chen reveals as Lydia looks up in shock. "He didn't make it; he died on the sight of the accident."

"My God," Lydia says as she wipes her eyes, as she realizes what this means. "I have to find Kent. I have to find him!"

***

Kent Blackmore opens the door to the hospital chapel and moves inside quickly. He feels like he can barely breathe right now, since he learned that Houston was in a car accident and he didn't survive the crash. He has no idea what to do, say or think right now; his son, is dead. He remembers how just earlier in the day he and Houston were talking in the penthouse. He was so young, so full of life…so alive. And now, he's gone. He feels like he can't process anything right now; he is just overwhelmed with emotions.

"I don't even know what I am doing here," Kent whispers out loud as he looks at a large cross that hangs on the wall, trying not to break down into tears. "All I know is that my son, my precious Houston, is gone forever. How could you take him from me? What the hell did he ever do to deserve this?"

He moves closer to the cross and feels a tear emerge in the corner of his eye. "And now, I have to tell his mother that he's dead. How am I supposed to tell Vivian that her only child is gone forever?"

"Kent?" Lydia calls out from the doorway of the chapel. "Oh Kent." She says as she rushes up to him and pulls him into a hug. "You have no idea how sorry I am."

Kent holds her as a tear falls down his cheek. It's not often he cries but the fact that his son is gone, he just can't help it. "It doesn't even seem real yet."

"I know baby," she continues to hold him. "I wanted to tell you but the nurse told me had contacted you already. Can I do anything? Can I get you anything at all?"

He shakes his head as they exit their embrace. "There's nothing no one can do," he reveals to her. "I will have to call Vivian and let her know. I'd like to know what he was doing with Stacey, why were our children together?"

"I have no idea," Lydia admits to him. "I just found out that Stacey has swelling in her brain. She has to have surgery."

"My God," Kent tells her. "You know I'm praying she pulls through. Maybe then we can get some answers to all of this madness."

"Kent, I just want you to know that I am so sorry about Houston. I wish that he hadn't been lost in this accident."

"I know you do, Lydia. Now, we have to focus on Stacey. She has to live so she can give us answers. And, I have to tell Vivian. God, I don't know if I can find the words to tell her that Houston is gone, but I have to try. She has to hear this from me."

***

"Dad, we got here as soon as we could," Cole announces to Mac and Lex, whom are sitting in a waiting room in the hospital, as Celeste follows in behind him. They were at the mansion discussing Celeste's pregnancy when they got the call about Stacey's auto accident, and of course, they rushed right over. "How is Stacey? How is my baby sister? "

"Darling, I'm so glad you're here," Mac hugs Celeste, who kisses his cheek.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," she replies to him, knowing that he needs to know what happened. "Like Cole asked, how is Stacey?"

"She's in surgery," Lex reveals to everyone as he stands up. "She had swelling in the brain."

"Brain surgery?" Cole asks dumbfounded by what he just heard. "How is this happening?"

"I wish I knew," Mac replies to them. "She was with Houston Blackmore. Apparently, a semi truck hit them head on. He didn't survive. Houston...he's dead."

"What? My God," Cole whispers back in surprise. "Why was Stacey with Houston? How is Mom? She must be devastated by all this. And Kent? My God, this is insane!"

"Mom is a wreck," Lex tells him. "But, you don't know the full story."

Cole arches his eyebrow. "What do you mean? What is the full story? What else could have possibly have happened?"

"Lydia took over Rockwell Mining earlier today," Mac reveals to Cole and Celeste. "She said she had the proxies of your shares, Cole. Together with Stacey's and Lex's, she has enough to run my company."

Cole shakes his head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry Dad," he says coming up to his father. "She spoke to me about the proxy and she spun it in a way that made sense at the time. I had no idea that she was planning this, otherwise I wouldn't have agreed to do this. She maniuplated me."

"None of us did," Lex replies to him. "I still have no idea how she got me to sign. I don't remember signing anything. But, that was my signature on the proxy."

"None of this is important right now," Mac replies to his children. "We have to focus on Stacey. She is the only thing that matters right now."

"I couldn't agree more," Lydia announces to everyone as she returns to the waiting room. "Has there been any word on Stacey yet?"

"None," Cole tells her as he comes up and hugs her. "I'm so sorry about Houston. How is Kent?"

"Barely surviving," she replies to him as they exit their embrace. "I've never seen him so distraught before."

"This is such a shock," Celeste says. "I can't believe this is happening."

Before anyone else can say anything, Dr. Chen returns to the waiting room. "Dr. Chen," Lydia turns and faces him. "How is Stacey? How is my daughter?"

"She survived surgery," he announces to everyone, as they breathe a sigh of relief. "We were able to drain a lot of the built up fluid in her brain. That's the good news."

"What's the bad news?" Mac asks him, bracing himself for the worse news possible.

"She's in a coma," Dr. Chen reveals to the family. "And, I have no idea if or when she will wake up."

***

Vivian Blackmore is a beautiful middle-aged woman. She was married to Kent for 24 years before she discovered his affair with Lydia Rockwell; since that time, she has been desperate to get her husband back. All she has ever wanted was to be with Kent and attempt to recapture their "glory" years, as she seems to recall them. The years after she had Houston, and the three of them were a family, are some of the best years of her life. She refuses to let his affair taint her memories.

She walks down the hospital in her 7 inch Louboutin's, looking for Kent. She got a call while she was having a late dinner at the country club and he told her to get to the hospital as soon as possible. She only knows that it has something to do with Houston. She can't shake this feeling that something is very wrong with her son, and if that's the case, she doesn't know what she will do. She can already feel her heart in her throat as she is worried sick.

"Kent," she calls out, as she sees him walk out of the chapel. "I got here as soon as I could. Where is Houston? What's happened to our son?"

Kent looks back at his ex-wife and feels his heart break inside his chest. He knows how much Vivian loved Houston. "Kent, say something, damn it! Where is our son?"

"He was in a car accident," Kent whispers back to her, as she covers her mouth in shock.

"Where is he? I want to see him!" she cries. "How bad was it?"

"You can't see him," he continues to whisper to her, as a tear falls down his cheek.

"What do you mean?" she asks him as she comes up to him. "Where is he? I want to see my son!"

"He's gone," he says back to her as he grabs her hands. "Houston is…"

"NO!" she screams out in agony. "No, he's not gone! He can't be dead! Not my baby!" She starts pounding her fists into Kent's chest. "Tell me this isn't happening! Not my baby! Not Houston!"

He tries to calm her down, but she flops down to the ground in a pool of tears. "Houston!" she cries over and over again.

He bends down and hugs her. "I'm so sorry Vivian," he tries to tell her as she continues to cry.

She finally stops crying and looks up at him. He extends his hand out to her and she stands up again. She wipes her eyes dry for a moment. "How did this happen?" she manages to ask him, as her whimpers are still loud and present.

"He was driving with Stacey Rockwell and a semi-truck hit his car," Kent reveals to her.

She arches her eyebrow. "Why was he with Stacey Rockwell? I didn't know that they were friendly?"

"Neither did I," Kent admits to her. "Lydia didn't know that they were friendly either."

Vivian shakes her head in disgust. "This is all her fault," Vivian whispers. "This is Stacey Rockwell's fault."

"No," Kent tries to tell. "This isn't anyone's fault. This is a horrible accident!"

"That wouldn't have happened had it not been for Stacey Rockwell," Vivian spits at him. "First Lydia ruins my marriage, now Stacey kills my son? I hate the Rockwell's! Do you hear me, I hate them! And, they will pay for this!"

***

"I'm glad that we have a moment alone," Celeste tells Cole, as they stand in the waiting room after Lydia and Mac got to go see Stacey and Lex went to grab a coffee. "Because, I think we need to get something straight."

"Celeste," Cole stops her from continuing. "I don't think now is the right time to have this conversation. My sister, she could be dying."

"I know," Celeste nods back to him. "And, I'm praying so much for Stacey. I don't know what Mac will do if he loses his daughter. But, that doesn't change the fact that I am pregnant now."

"You made it perfectly clear earlier that Mac is the father of your baby."

"He is," Celeste agrees with him. "But, I don't think now is the right time to tell him that I'm carrying his baby. He has enough going on with Stacey. I just want you to promise me that you'll keep quiet until I'm ready to tell him."

"Of course," Cole nods back to her. "You've made it clear that it's not my secret to tell."

"It won't be a secret," she corrects him. "I just don't want to tell him right now. He needs to focus all of his energy on Stacey."

"He does, I agree," Cole tells her. "I'm glad you're here. You're a calming influence over him; over all of us."

Celeste smiles back to him as they hug one another. Lex emerges at the entrance way of the waiting room and spies the two of them hugging. He knows that this isn't the first time that he has seen them in close courters together. He arches his eyebrow and wonders what is going on between Celeste and Cole.

***

Mac opens the door to Stacey's hospital room and lets Lydia move inside before he joins her. The parents look at their daughter as she lays in the hospital bed unconscious, with a heavy bandage around her head. She has tubes going into her nose and arm as well, to ensure she is getting enough air and medicine; it's a sight that neither one of them ever thought that they would see in their lives.

"Oh Mac," Lydia whispers as she grabs his hand, as oxygen is pumped into Stacey's lungs. "She looks so peaceful. She looks like my beautiful baby girl that I vowed to protect all of her life. And now look, I didn't protect her. I've let her down."

"No, you haven't," Mac tells her as he puts his hands on her shoulders. "She is a grown woman. She made decisions. We can't baby her forever. Still, she does look so…innocent. She doesn't deserve to be here. I wish I knew why she was with Houston Blackmore."

"I don't know," Lydia shakes her head as she continues to look at Stacey. "I just hope she pulls through. I have no idea what I will do if…"

"Don't say it," Mac stops her from finishing her sentence. He moves around and sits next to Stacey and grabs her hand. "You have to wake up, Stacey. You can't leave us, not yet. You've simply got too much life to live. We love you. Please, please, Stacey, come back to us."

Lydia moves behind Mac and bends over and kisses Stacey's forehead. "We are all here for you baby," she says as a tear falls down her cheek. "We are all praying for you to open those beautiful eyes again. You have to wake up, you just have too."

***

"How is she?" Lex asks Lydia as she comes back into the waiting room, with red eyes from shedding some tears from seeing Stacey in the state that she is in.

Lydia shrugs her shoulders. "She's alive, that's all that matters right now. I have to have faith that she will open her eyes again. I can't think any other way right now."

"I couldn't agree more," Lex nods back to her as they hug one another. "I do have to ask you something, though."

Lydia arches her eyebrow and looks back at him. "I have no idea what you could want to discuss with me at a time like this."

"The proxy that I signed giving you the my shares of Rockwell Mining," he begins to reply to her. "You have to understand, I have no memory of signing anything over to you. I wouldn't have done such a thing. You know how much pride I take in working at Rockwell Mining and working for Mac. The fact that you have my signature doesn't make sense at all."

"I do know that," Lydia waves her hand back to him, not wanting to speak on this right now. All she can focus on is Stacey, and that should be Lex's priority as well.

"Then, how did I sign those papers? Why don't I remember signing anything? This doesn't make any sense," Lex tells her, trying to keep his cool, despite this entire situation making his blood boil.

"I told you," Lydia snaps at him. "This isn't the time or the place to get into this, Lexington. I will not remind you again."

"I won't let this go, Mom," Lex replies to her quickly. "I want to know all the details of when I signed that damn paper!"

"Your sister is fighting for her life!" Lydia yells at him. "Now, that is what we have to focus on. All of this business nonsense can wait until later!"

"Fine," Lex says back to her. "But, I won't let this go. I will wait until we know that Stacey will be okay. But then, I will get to the bottom of this, Mother. You can mark my words on that."

***

Lydia leaves the waiting room, realizing that she dodged a bullet with Lex. She knows that she will have to come up with some kind cover story with all of his pressing questions, but she also knows that she can't focus on that right now; not with Stacey fighting for her life and Kent struggling with Houston's death.

She turns the corner in the hallway and sees Kent and Vivian sitting next to each other in some chairs. She moves up to the slowly, knowing Vivian has never liked her because she blames Lydia for breaking up her marriage to Kent. Still, she feels compelled to say something in the wake of this terrible tragedy.

"Vivian," Lydia says as she approaches them. "I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am about Houston. This is all such a terrible tragedy."

"I'm sure you think it is," Vivian spits back to the woman who stole her husband. "The difference is, your daughter is still alive. My son wasn't so lucky."

"Vivian, please this isn't the time for this," Kent tries to tell her as Vivian stands up.

"Time for what, Kent? The truth?" Vivian yells at him as she looks at Lydia. "This whore stole you from me! And now her daughter has stolen my son from me! If you think I will forgive you for this, Lydia, you have another thing coming!"

Lydia shakes her head in disbelief as another tear falls down her face. "I'm sorry," she whispers back to Vivian. "I wish I knew why Houston and Stacey were together, but I have no idea. All I want now, is for Stacey to get better and to help Kent get through this difficult time."

"Difficult time?" Vivian laughs at her. "You have no idea the pain I'm going through right now," she says as her voice cracks and her eyes fill with more water. "You have no idea, so don't you dare stand there and pretend to understand."

"I'm not," Lydia shakes her head back to her. "I have no idea. But I still might. Stacey isn't out of the woods."

"Good," Vivian wipes a tear from her cheek. "I hope she doesn't make it out of those woods."

"Now Vivian, that's enough!" Kent stands up, finally putting his foot down. "This fighting won't get us anywhere."

"You're right," Vivian nods back to him. "We'll meet first thing tomorrow morning at Andrew Lawson's for the reading of Houston's will. Maybe then, we can get some clarity about how and why Houston and Stacey were together."

***

The following morning, Lydia and Kent step off the elevator at Andrew Lawson's office and move into the hallway, preparing themselves for Houston's will reading. Neither one are truly ready for what is about to take place.

"How did you sleep last night?" he asks her, noticing that her eyes darker than usual.

"I didn't," she reveals to him. "I left the hospital about an hour ago so I could go home and change before meeting you here. I didn't want to leave Stacey."

"Has there been any change?" he asks her as she shakes her head no.

"But the doctor's said that's normal," she tells him. "She just had brain surgery, after all. Anyways, how was your night? Did you get any rest at all?"

"Not much," he admits to her. "I kept thinking about past times with Houston. I just can't believe that he's gone. I can't believe that we are here today about to read his will. It still seems all too surreal."

"I know darling," Lydia grabs his hand. "But you know that I'm here for you, right? I won't let you go through this alone."

"I know and I thank you for that," Kent tells her. "Look, I think Vivian is already here. Let's try to keep it civil today?"

"I will try," Lydia replies to him. "But if she comes for me again today, I don't know that I will be able to bite my tongue."

He smiles back to her as they turn and move into Andrew's office. They immediately see Vivian sitting on a chair waiting for them.

"Good morning," Kent announces to Vivian, who stands up. "How was your night?"

Vivian looks at him and then over to Lydia. "I barely slept," she tells them. "Probably like you, I was thinking about our son. And how it's not fair that he's gone."

"Good morning," Andrew Lawson opens a door and emerges. "I'm so sorry about your loss Mr. and Mrs. Blackmore. These types of days are never easy, especially since Houston was so young."

"I'd like to get this over and done with, if you don't mind," Vivian announces to everyone, wanting to get this over and done with as quickly as possible.

"Very well, let's begin," Andrew tells them. "The will was pretty straight forward because Houston wasn't very old, so he didn't have time to accumulate many assets on his own. But, he has left all of his liquid assets to his mother, Vivian. He has left all of his automobiles, motorbike and his condo to his father, Kent."

"Seems pretty straight forward," Vivian notes to everyone.

"There's one more note in here," Andrew tells everyone. "His shares in Blackmore Ltd. He's left them to his fiancé."

"His fiancé?" Kent asks shocked. "I didn't know he was engaged."

"Nor did I," Vivian replies to him, reeling from this news.

"Stacey Rockwell is listed in the will as his fiancé," Andrew reveals to them as Lydia, Vivian and Kent look back in shock.

"That means," Lydia whispers. "That I technically am in charge of Houston's shares because with Stacey incapacitated, I act on her behave; I have her power of attorney."

***

"You barely slept a wink last night," Jarek Williams tells his lover as he passes Lex a cup of coffee, as Lex lays in the bed. "Not that I blame you, you must have been thinking about your sister."

Lex accepts the coffee. "Thanks," he says before he takes a drink of it. "I was thinking about Stacey, of course," he continues. "But I was also thinking about how my mother was able to take over Rockwell Mining. It doesn't make sense; I would never sign over my shares to her."

"I know you wouldn't babe," Jarek agrees with him. "But I was there, that proxy did have your signature on it."

Lex uneasily nods back to him. "I know, but that's why this is so weird," Lex tells him. "I don't remember signing anything over to my Mom. How could I not remember signing that document?"

Jarek looks back at him and then arches his eyebrow. "Wait a minute," Jarek begins to say as Lex looks at him with intent. "What about that day of the pool party? Do you remember that you told me you blacked out? You thought you had too much sun?"

"I remember, how could I forget?"

"Maybe that's when Lydia got you to sign your proxy over," Jarek suggests to him. "It would make sense as to why you don't remember."

"It never made sense that I blacked out to begin with," Lex agrees with him. "My God, do you think my mother drugged me or something?"

Jarek shrugs. "If she was determined enough, who knows what she would do?"

"I can't believe this," Lex tells him. "But I have to find out if my mother did this to me. And if she did, so help me God."

***

Lex storms into the hospital waiting room and sees Mac and Lydia sitting together, waiting for some kind of news on Stacey.

"Good morning," he announces to them as his parents stand up and hug him. "Any change on Stacey?"

"No, nothing yet, Mac replies to him. "But I was hoping to see Dr. Chen this morning. If you'll excuse me, I'll go see if I can find him."

"Sure, I'll be here when you get back Dad," Lex tells him as he watches Mac leave the room. "I'm glad Dad left because we have to talk."

"Darling, I've already told you that we have to focus on Stacey right now," Lydia tells him, as she turns her back to him. "I don't have time for this nonsense."

"You'll make time," Lex grits his teeth and turns her around with his arm. "Did you drug me the day of the pool party? Is that why I blacked out? Is that when you got me to sign over my proxy?"

Lydia uneasily chuckles back to him. "My goodness, you have an imagination!"

"Answer the questions Mom!" Lex demands from him.

Lydia forces her arm out of his grip. "No," she lies to him sternly. "Now, I'm not going to tell you again, we are not having this conversation. Not while Stacey is fighting for her life!"

***

"Thank you for driving this morning," Celeste tells Cole as they enter the hospital together. Cole knew that she would want to come back to the hospital first thing in the morning to be with Mac, and so he offered to come with her.

"Of course," Cole replies to her. "How did you sleep?"

"Off and on," she admits to him. "I tried to get my rest for the baby, but I kept thinking about how tragic this entire mess is with Stacey and Houston."

"I know," Cole agrees with her. "I was thinking the exact same thing. It just makes you realize how short life is."

They stop and look at one another, their eyes filled with lust. "I can't help myself Celeste, I love you," he whispers to her as they look into one another's eyes.

"Don't Cole," she tells him, not wanting to rehash this again with him. "You know that I'm married to your father."

"Marriages can be undone."

"No," she whispers back to him. "You have to stop this."

"What's going on here?" Mac asks them, as he comes up to them, seeing his wife and son looking deeply into each other's eyes.

"Nothing," Cole quickly tells his father. "How is Stacey?"

"No change," Mac replies to them. "But something was going on when I got here and I want to know what it is. What's happening between you two?"

Celeste gulps and looks at Cole and then back at Mac. "It was nothing, Dad," Cole tries to say.

"No, Cole," Celeste fakes a smile on her face. "You don't have to lie anymore."

"Lie about what?" Mac asks her, as Cole shoots her a look of shock.

"I wasn't going to say anything, not yet," Celeste begins to tell Mac. "Because of Stacey but you've caught me."

"I don't understand," Mac admits to his wife, wondering what she is going to tell him.

"I'm pregnant, Mac," she tells him. "We are going to have a baby."